Tourism in Manipur : Prospect to projection
Source: The Sangai Express / DIPR

Imphal, January 03 2017: Decorated with two National awards � Today Traveller's Award, 2016, for Best State for Promoting Niche Tourism � Polo Tourism and the Most Promising New Destination Award, in Travel and Tourism Fair (TTF), 2016, Ahmedabad, Manipur has now gained more confidence to become one of the most promising tourist spots in the near future.

Manipur Tourism Policy, 2014 is set with definite plans and targets to turn the State into 'Destination Manipur' for the travellers.

Manipur Tourism Department, now a corporate � Tourism Corporation of Manipur Ltd., is bagged with numerous plans to generate a gainful and meaningful employment in a sustainable manner which will involve the local people leading to integrated development.

With Look East Policy, Trans Asian Highways, and Railways, Manipur Tourism is becoming all the more important with the government keen to create a unique brand to market 'Manipur Tourism' as the gateway to Southeast Asia.

Reborn as industry in 1987, Manipur Tourism Department has tried hard to include Manipur in the map of world tourism.

Gifted by nature in varied ways, Manipur is filled with richness, and vastness in culture and religious heritage, making her a very potential nominee for tourism industry, yet to be discovered and explored.

Realizing the rawness in natural resources, the Asian Development Bank has identified the region as a 'Key Area' due to its unrealized potential as an eco-tourism product.

In April, 2014 the first ever Eco�Tourism Conclave in the entire North East region was hosted by Manipur.

The conclave was organized in association with Eco-tourism Society of India, wherein stakeholders from all quarters interacted and deliberated on do's and don'ts of responsible tourism.

Emerging as a promising industry, Manipur Tourism is imbibed with all the required natural, cultural, traditional and religious heritage and is ready to get boost with numerous developmental projects lining up.

During 2015-16, the Department got sanctioned a sum of Rs 89.66 crore for the 'Development of Tourist Circuit in Manipur: Imphal-Moirang- Khongjom-Moreh'.

Under this project the rejuvenation of infrastructure in and around Kangla Fort including light and sound show, polo gallery, exhibition park, tourist facilitation centre, eco tourism huts, meditation, yoga and spa center and lake cruise at Ningthoukhong and Phubala near Loktak Lake; wayside amenities on way to Moreh and Cultural cum Craft Center at Moreh as well as signage for all important tourist destination across the State is included.

Besides, in the year 2007�08, the Ministry of Tourism sanctioned a total amount of Rs 10.86 crores for various important tourism projects like 'Development of Integrated Mega Tourist Circuit for Marjing Polo � Kaina � Khebaching, Khongjom; integrated cable car and lakeside tourism development project at Loktak Lake, Bishnupur district; providing of Infrastructure Project in and around Imphal City, development of tourist resort at Sendra hillock, water sports complex at Takmu and other facilities in the adjoining areas of Bishnupur district; Eco Tourism Complex at Mata Mualtam Hyde out park, Churachandpur etc.

Celebrated as Tourism festival before, 'The Manipur Sangai Festival' since 2010, has been organized by the Tourism Department, Government of Manipur, to project and showcase the tourism potential and promote "Destination Manipur" .

Every year, the Manipur Sangai Festival is observed from 21st to 30 th of November.

The festival offers art and culture, handloom, handicrafts and fine arts, indigenous sports, cuisines and music, eco and adventure sports as well as the scenic natural beauty of the land to the world.

Started with a very humble amount of Rs 76.80 lakhs in 2010, the budget for the festival has increased to Rs 6 crores in 2015 .

Gaining its momentum in terms of popularity in India as well as in abroad, the Department is growing unstoppably with introduction of many new events in the festival to boost every possible aspect for the growth of tourism in the state.

In the festival new events/items like the Heritage Park consisting of 15 Traditional Exhibition Huts, daytime cultural performances, musical performances, theatres festivals, conferences on cultural heritage, Shumang Leela, traditional sports, a week long cleanliness drive in the city, were successfully held and received well by the audience.

The Tourism Department took another step forward by producing world class publicity, 'A Sand Art Animation Movie' on Manipur by renowned sand artist Sudarshan Patnaik in an effort to promote Manipur Tourism.

With efforts of Manipur Tourism Department, Sangol Kangjei, an indigenous legendary sport of Manipur, now popularly known as Polo, is gaining its momentum as one of the favourites among the people.

Internationally adopted and played worldwide, the game of Polo is a gift to the world by Manipur.

Honouring the rich heritage of the modern game of Polo, the first Statehood Day Women's Polo Tournament, 2016 was played from 17-21 January, 2016.In effort to popularize the game, the Manipur Tourism Department has team up with Manipur Horse Riding and Polo Association in organizing Manipur Polo International as part of Manipur Sangai Festival in the oldest living polo ground of the world-Mapal Kangjeibung.

The tournament gave the people a chance to witness international participation from all the continents of the world, putting her in strong position in this segment of niche tourism.

On 24 th January 2016, the Department with support of Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, and Rajasthan Tourism, and Rajasthan Polo Club, took the Women's Polo to a greater height by organizing India-USA Women's Polo Exhibition Game at Rambagh Polo Ground, Jaipur before the finals of Maharaja Sawai Singh Polo Cup, 2016 .

Every year, in its bid to strive for common good with sustainable tourism, Manipur Tourism Department organizes World Tourism Day on September 27 th .

As part of its marketing, publicity, and promotional activities the Department has been publishing quality publicity materials like brochures, posters, folders, coffee table books, post cards guide maps, etc.

to disseminate information at various platforms and events showcasing the tourism potential of Manipur.

The Department has attained great achievements by producing episodes in TV channels having wide international viewers like the NDTV Good Times and Travel XP.

The Department has also produced three different pocket guide booklets on Manipur Tourism from an internationally acclaimed travel publication "LONELY PLANETS" .

A Coffee Table Book on Manipur Tourism was also published through Indian Express Group of Publication.

For the past fifteen years the department has been participating in various festivals and events worldwide like the World Tourism Mart (WTM), London North East Summit, South Asia Travel and Tourism Exchange, International Tourism Mart, Travel and Tourism Fair, (TTF) and most recently Destination North East and 1 st Global Exhibition on Service at New Delhi for promoting tourism.

The fruit of all these efforts has been paid off with the tourist coming to witness the beauty of Manipur.

The latest available data, for the year 2015-16, on the total inflow of tourist in Manipur is recorded as 1, 35,115 including 3,102 foreign tourist while the remaining is a domestic tourist.

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